


Glory to the Brave

by CrystalNavy



Category: One Piece
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Character Death, O-Tama centric, Portgas D. Ace-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-05
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-08-19 10:31:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16532864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalNavy/pseuds/CrystalNavy
Summary: They are remembered by their loved ones, in a good way and in a bad way as well. That's why they would never die. Series of short stories depicting the lives and experiences of dead characters in One Piece.





	1. Together in death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They died in different circumstances, and at the hands of two different people. However, the fact remains that they are together now, and will make the most of it.
> 
> Spoilers for the latest chapter.

The first thing O-Tama saw after opening her eyes was a big apple orchard. After tasting the heavenly aroma of a healthy apple, she couldn't resist. She dug in greedily. That was the first thing she noticed in this new realm. She could eat here, and enjoy the lovely taste of lovely food.

The second thing she noticed was that he was here too, and he was also munching an apple. 

Nothing moved as the two of them caught each other's gaze, and they remained staring at one another in silence for a while. O-Tama didn't bother hiding her true feelings. She moved to sit by his side. 

Portgas D. Ace and O-Tama sat next to one another in silence.

Then, O-Tama coughed delicately, breaking the silence.

"You've escaped to this realm and left us behind." O-Tama said "Brother Luffy misses you still, even if he didn't show it. He tries to be strong, but it's obvious that he does miss you."

There was no accusation in her tone. Rather, it appeared that she was merely stating a fact.

"What about you?" he asked in a gentle voice

"I missed you too, of course." O-Tama said matter-of-factly "I embraced my own death, knowing that I'd get to see you again."

"I am sorry." he looked away 

"You know....." O-Tama continued "I was only adopted by Master Hitetsu. My real parents died at the hands of Shogun Orochi, forever despised by new regime of Wano. Schools teach new children that Oden Clan and everyone loyal to them were monsters, my own parents included. So, what I am trying to say is that you are not the only Devil's child. Brother Luffy is too, as am I. The three of us are hated by the Government - local or global - because of who our parents were."

She grabbed his larger hand with both of her smaller ones.

"So please, don't hate yourself for who you are." she begged, her innocent brown eyes meeting his onyx ones 

"How......?"

"Brother Luffy told me the whole story." O-Tama clarified

The orchard became enveloped by silence again, as O-Tama snuggled into Ace's side, and he threw an arm around her.

Neither of them said a word.

They didn't need to.

They simply enjoyed being there together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Latest chapter shook me to the core.
> 
> Next time: Ace introduces his friend to those he considers his parents. Whitebeard and Rouge are happy. Roger is merely along for the ride, and he doesn't like it, so he starts sulking.


	2. House of Cards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The King, the Queen, the Jack, and the Ace.
> 
> What a nice dysfunctional family.

"I want to introduce you to my family." Ace said out of the blue

O-Tama stood up when he did, smoothing her kimono as she did. Ace laughed as he took her hand into his own, and they began their trek. Soon, a whale-shaped boat appeared in front of them, in all of its majestic glory.

Four figures lingered aboard the ship, three of them male, and the fourth one female. She recognized three of them from Brother Luffy's stories, but she couldn't place who the fourth one was.

"May I introduce Portgas D. Rouge, my mother and Edward Newgate, my true father." Ace said the second part as he glared daggers at the black-haired man in red coat, who began to visibly sulk

"Who is the third one?" O-Tama quickly said, changing the conversation for the sake of the black-haired man 

When the black-haired man - Roger, from what Brother Luffy told her - gave her a grateful look, she gave him a soft smile. She could see the clear resemblance between Ace and Roger, even if the former would vehemently deny the connection.

"That is Thatch, one of my brothers. He kept the atmosphere lively, and he was the one I was closest to." Ace explained "It was my personal duty to try and avenge him by pursuing his murderer."

"Which you shouldn't have done." Thatch pulled out a frying pan and whacked Ace over the head with it

"In hindsight." Ace bit his lip, guilt showing on his features "Speaking of which, you should meet O-Tama. She is the closest thing to a protege I had. She lived in poverty-stricken land, and never had a chance to eat good-quality food."

"Say no more." Thatch put on his chef outfit, and Ace knew he successfully got his brother's inner fire burning.

Thatch never let anyone go hungry if he could help it. It was this trait that endeared him to the rest of the family. Ace, as the bottomless pit that he was, included. A small part of him felt guilty he was using this side of Thatch to fulfill the promise he made.

_"When I return, I'll make this country into a place where you can eat your fill."_

Soon, Thatch came back and whisked O-Tama away to the dining hall.

Ace turned to his parents, biological and adoptive alike.

Three pairs of arms grabbed his own, pulling him into the craziest version of a group hug.

His mother, in particular, held him as if he still was that tiny baby she never had a chance to hold.

And he couldn't begrudge her for that.

As he looked at Pops and Rouge - and pointedly ignored Roger's presence there - he could think of only one thing.

He was finally home, with two people he loved the most in the world.


	3. Family reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gol D. Roger repeatedly tries and fails to bond with his own son. Eventually, he teams up with other parents. They put their planning skills to the test and come up with a scheme that just might work.

Gol D. Roger had everything. Wealth, fame and power were only few of the things he had. He had the courage to traverse the Grand Line, and he had raw strength and skill necessary to achieve such a feat. He was also blessed with King's Will, and the ability to hear the Voice of All Things. To top it all off, he was declared the King of the Pirates, and he had power over many people, who all feared his name. He had great crew too, all of whom were loyal to him.

Unfortunately, Gol D. Roger still lacked the one thing he wanted the most. It was forever out of his reach. Unattainable.

He peeked out from his hiding place, observing the nearby group with rapt attention. Edward "Whitebeard" Newgate sat on the edge of the clearing. As usual, he was accompanied by those he considered his family. Thatch, O-Tama and Portgas D. Ace were with him. 

Roger wasn't the one to let an opportunity go to waste, and he desperately wanted to hold his baby, his son, to assure him everything would be all right, something he couldn't do until now. As such, he made himself known.

"Hey, Newgate!" he called out to his rival "Do you fancy another get-together? We could spar and exchange tales just like before!"

"I don't see why not, gurararara!" Whitebeard called back

And so Gol D. Roger accepted the clear invitation with raucous laughter. Sake was brought out, and everyone, sans O-Tama, drank the substantive amount. Roger told plenty of stories about his adventures and feats to Newgate, even though he remembered them just as well as Roger himself did. Then again, they both knew that those stories were meant for someone else to hear.

"So." Roger spoke carefully, after wiping his mouth "I heard you added more members to your extended family."

"That's true, but sadly I can't be there for them, giving them more of my love and support in these troubled times. Still, I have Thatch, Ace and O-Tama now, and they helped fill the void in my heart, gurarara." Whitebeard said 

"Still, your family loves you, and you love them in turn." Roger noted, with a small sigh "I wish mine would love me just as much."

"Well, I am sure Rouge does love you." Whitebeard laughed, gulping down another mouthful of sake

"You know what I mean, Newgate." Roger gave his old rival a rather intense glare, inherited by his only child "My own child loves you more than me, and I shall not abide that."

"Maybe you just haven't tried the right approach." Whitebeard pointed out 

"I tried everything there was to try." Roger raised both of his arms in a gesture of surrender 

"Ask other parents." Whitebeard suggested "Maybe if you worked together, you'd be able to come up with a perfect strategy."

"Good advice." Roger stood up with a determined glint in his eyes

Whitebeard watched Roger leave with equally determined stride. He chuckled to himself. Next to him, the object of their conversation brushed his hair out of his eyes, which were narrowed.

"Why did you help him?" Ace bit his lip, in an effort to stop himself from lashing out at Whitebeard

Whitebeard laughed.

"Because he wants to bring his family back together." Whitebeard said simply "Why should he be denied that? Why should you deny that to him?"

Ace didn't reply. Instead, he chose to look down. Whitebeard raised his chin with a finger, forcing Ace to look him in the eyes.

"I think you should stop running away." Whitebeard hummed "Chances don't grow on trees. Don't waste the chances you've been given, Ace. If you don't take this one, you'll forever see both your biological father and yourself as monsters who don't deserve to live. And I will fail as your chosen father if I let that happen."

-x-

Roger looked at the faces of the parents he had formed a close bonds with during his time in the realm of the dead. There were Corazon, Bell-mere, Banchina, Sora Vinsmoke, Homing, Otohime, and Nico Olvia. And of course, there was Rouge, who had all of their child's love.

"So you want parenting advice from us?" Bell-mere raised an eyebrow 

"That's the long and the short of it." Roger confirmed 

"I am afraid most of us can't help you." Olvia threw her own two cents in "None of us have enough experience to be of any assistance. Well, except two."

She cast a meaningful glance at Otohime and Corazon.

Roger gave them a hopeful look. 

The rest of their get-together was spent in putting together a perfect plan.

-x-

Roger and Rouge studied the current situation. It was a fine evening, only slightly chilly. A perfect evening for a get-together. Grinning, they nodded to one another, then signaled their three allies. They already ironed out the finer details of the plan with Newgate, and knew that he would take a stroll tonight, and - more importantly - that Thatch, O-Tama and Ace would accompany him, making it easier to pull off a kidnapping. Literally.

For tonight, Roger and Rouge planned to kidnap their own child for a family reunion which was long overdue.

"Is everyone ready, m'dear?" Roger whispered to Rouge

"They are." she confirmed, giggling at his word choice

"Yosh!" he grinned "Then let's go prepare."

They appeared in front of Whitebeard and his three companions.

"Mind if we borrow Thatch for a while, Newgate?" Roger grinned

Whitebeard nodded, with an amused smile.

As they left, Roger and Rouge cast discreet glances at their child, who was asleep at the moment.

-x-

In the middle of the clearing, the table for three was set up. Being a skilled chef, Thatch was hired to make a feast fit for a king, and several members of Rumbar pirates were hired to provide some entertainment.

All the preparations took place under the watchful eyes of two anxious parents. 

"He'll enjoy this." Thatch assured them with a smile, even as he cooked "Well, the main course will be finished soon. Time to get to making dessert."

"Thanks for the effort." Rouge whispered "It means a lot, to both of us."

"Don't mention it." Thatch gave them an easygoing smile "He is our family as much as he is yours."

-x-

The preparations were finally complete.

Now all that was needed was the guest of honor. 

The only problem was how to convince him.

In the end, that task was delegated to the Newgate family and Rouge, considering that he genuinely loved them.

It was a task which they gladly accepted.

"So where are we going today, Pops?" Ace inquired

"Today isn't about us. Your mother wanted to have some bonding of her own with you and O-Tama. She requested that we accompany you in case there is danger." Whitebeard explained "Here she is."

And true enough, Rouge was there. She was wearing a light blue dress she wore when she died, and there was the same hibiscus flower adorning her hair. 

"Come. I want to show you a nice place I found." Rouge said demurely "It's by a river."

And so they walked in silence, enjoying the breeze and the quietness of the night. Finally, they reached the clearing. On the clearing, there was a table set for three. Ace didn't notice that Whitebeard, Thatch and O-Tama formed a makeshift wall behind him and Rouge, in an effort to keep him from leaving.

Then, several men stepped out of the surrounding trees.

"Hello, Newgate." Roger grinned "Meet my new friends, the Rumbar Pirates, our entertainment providers. Tonight will be a blast!"

Whitebeard raised his hand in greeting.

"Well, this is where we'd be leaving." Thatch hastily said

And he, Whitebeard and O-Tama made themselves scarce before Ace could react.

Roger and Rouge took their son by both arms and led him to the table.

"Now that we have our guest of honor....." Roger announced "Bring out the nourishments, and let the fun begin!"

Two of the Rumbar pirates brought out several pots, filled with the brim with food, and several equally full trays, filled with solid food. Finally, an enormous cake was brought out.

"Who made all of this?" Ace's amazement won over his distaste

"That would be your brother." Roger grinned "Thatch, if I remember correctly. Now, why don't you enjoy yourself? This day is for you, after all."

"New Years Day." Rouge whispered softly "And the day our real treasure appeared in the world."


	4. Chain breakers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you're in chains, I am the chain-breaker.
> 
> Love shouldn't be underestimated. Especially not the love that parents have towards their child.

"I'm gonna kill that man." Roger growled "No, I am gonna kill both of them."

"How do you plan to do that?" Corazon looked at his new friend curiously

"I am sure you can figure it out." Roger gave him a manic grin "After all, it says right here in the manual that we are allowed to take a corporeal form for day once every three months. And I am feeling pretty vengeful myself."

"Do you mind if we joined in on that fun, gurarara?"

Newgate, O-Tama, Thatch and Rouge stood there, brandishing makeshift weapons - including one giant frying pan, Rouge's weapon of choice - in their hands

"Of course." Roger dipped his head in approval "After all, no one hurts what I hold dear without retribution."

His gaze drifted to the figure which lay asleep in his arms. Over the past three months, their relationship had improved to the point they could call themselves a family again. A fierce sense of protectiveness engulfed his entire being as he continued to observe his beloved son.

Then, he gently lowered Ace's head onto the ground, careful not to awake the younger man. There would be plenty of time to share later. Right now, he had people to murder, and get revenge for his son's unjustified murder.

"Let's go." he said simply

-x-

Akainu knew he was supposed to uphold justice above all. Too many good people were threatened by the likes of the pirates.

"Let go of me!" a young girl screamed

Akainu saw a woman in mid-twenties, who was trying to pull the young girl into a nearby alleyway, without much success. Being an officer of Justice, he couldn't let this slide. He took a few steps towards them.

When he was hit on the head, he saw that both the woman's and the girl's expressions had changed to triumphant smiles.

He realized too late that this was a trap, and that he fell for it, hook, line and sinker.

When he woke up, he was tied up to a chair, and his hands were adorned with seastone cuffs. The girl from earlier observed him carefully.

"Why?" Akainu asked her, though he had a good guess

"I did it for someone far better than you." the girl said "He was brave, selfless and kind. And you killed him."

"He was my son." the woman joined them "The one who knocked you out and brought you here was my husband. You'll be meeting him shortly."

"Was I a good actress, Rouge-san?" the girl giggled

"Indeed you were, O-Tama." Rouge ruffled the girl's hair

Rouge.

Akainu's eyes widened when he connected the dots and realized what all of this was about.

"But Sengoku said that you died in childbirth." he stammered

"Correct." Rouge directed her attention to him

"Does that mean you are all......?"

"Dead?" Rouge repeated "Yes, we all are, including O-Tama. She allowed herself to be struck down by Yonkou Kaidou in order to be reunited with her idol, my son, in the afterlife."

"Allowed?" Akainu repeated "You mean she could have subdued him if she wanted to?"

"She could have." Rouge said "Her power puts animal hybrids under her control. Kaido is an animal hybrid."

They were interrupted as the door opened, and Roger stepped inside. 

"I am here, and I brought some old friends of mine, who are just dying to meet you, as well as someone to keep you company."

With those words, Roger stepped aside, to reveal Shanks, Buggy and an unknown man.

"Put him with the Mad Dog." Roger commanded in an icy tone

Once a massive man was tossed to a vacant space behind him, Akainu recognized him as the villain who nearly sank Marineford: Blackbeard.

"You are getting what you deserve." Shanks fixed both Akainu and Blackbeard with a hard stare "Because of your actions, a good man died before he had a chance to live."

"I knew Ace." Buggy added "He was a high-spirited man. A true pirate. True pirates are rare these days, and you two are responsible for the death of one of the best ones."

"So." Roger took charge once more "How about you both die in the same way my son died? Unlock his cuffs, O-Tama."

O-Tama did so, and the cuffs slid down from Akainu's wrists, clattering to the ground.

"Now, do your duty. Kill Blackbeard." Roger targeted Akainu with King's Will

And so Akainu drove his fist through Blackbeard's chest.

"Now, kill yourself." Roger ordered, still maintaining his power over Akainu.

And in a single bloody moment, both of the men responsible for the death of his child were dead. His revenge - their revenge - was complete.

Newgate and Thatch joined them, and they all vanished. The only ones who remained in the room were Shanks, Buggy and the two corpses.


End file.
